Seoul warns 'further action' if Ukraine does not apologise over prisoner-of-war row
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has threatened unspecified action against Ukraine following the public disclosure of North Korean prisoners of war being transferred to the South. The dispute centers on whether the transfer was intended to remain confidential to protect the soldiers' families and diplomatic interests.
Why it matters
This diplomatic rift highlights the complex geopolitical tensions involving North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine war and the delicate nature of intelligence sharing between Seoul and Kyiv.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, President Lee Jae Myung also accused Kyiv of "attempting to provoke a war on the Korean Peninsula"
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung has threatened to take unspecified "further action" if Ukraine does not issue a public apology for revealing that two North Korean prisoners of war had been sent to the South.
Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky made the disclosure to the UN general assembly last week, angering Seoul, who said the move was meant to stay secret.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Thursday described the situation as a "diplomatic misunderstanding", adding that Kyiv was "working" to resolve it.
Lee rejected this characterisation on X, saying it concerned "the dignity of the Korean people and the nation".
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